Last Farewell
by Tauna Petit-Strawn
Summary: This is a darker story. The first two chapters deal with Tom's last words to each of his family members. The third, and final, chapter came about due to one line in Chapter Two...and, right or wrong, I don't want to give anything away right now. Every Barkley is shown.
1. Chapter 1

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Jarrod stood in front of the fireplace holding his mother, whose tears continued rolling off her cheeks, though no longer as fast as they once had. Nick sat on the sofa with Audra and Eugene on each side of him. The young children were scared and holding onto him for dear life.

An eerie silence hung in the room as each thought of their father and husband, Tom, who had been shot in the back while he, Jarrod and Nick had been riding through the grove. The family was now waiting for the doctor to appear. He'd been sent for the moment Jarrod and Nick brought their father home. Only the sound of Dr. Merar's footsteps broke the silence and five heads turned in the medical doctor's direction. Instantly Victoria, Nick and Jarrod all stiffened as Dr. Merar slowly shook his head. "He wants to see all of you, beginning with Audra and Eugene."

Nick turned back to the fireplace, while Jarrod forced himself to follow his mother, who had indicated for him to accompany them, as she led the two youngest children to the room where their father lay. Upon entering the room, Audra and Eugene both ran up to their father's bed. Audra sat on the right side of the bed while Eugene sat on the left side of the bed when Tom invited them to sit down.

"Father!" Eugene cried and laid his head on his father's chest.

"You're going to be all right, father." Audra sniffled through her tears, only to Tom give her a weak smile and slowly shake his head.

"No, baby, I have to go." Tom did his best to smile upon his only daughter who meant so much to him. "That's why I wanted to see you, to tell you goodbye and tell ya to mind your mother and listen to Jarrod. He'll be helping your mother. Remember I love you and will be watching over you if that's at all possible." Tom went on to encourage both youngsters to learn all they could as they grew and to remember there was nothing wrong in standing for the right, even if the cost was sometimes higher than one would like.

After he finished talking, Tom glanced at Jarrod. Jarrod nodded ever so slightly as he removed his younger brother and sister from their father's bed, his heart still feeling if a loaded wagon had rolled on top of it and couldn't be budged.

"No, father!" Audra and Eugene both cried and reached out for Tom as Jarrod let go of them. They might have continued only their mother told them in a firm, but gentle voice to go back down to the living room. After the two young children left the room, Victoria stood next to the wall, while Tom motioned for Jarrod towards the bed.

Jarrod, holding back his tears, did as his father asked. Soon, he was sitting on the side of his father's bed holding his father's left hand in his. Tom sighed as he looked upon his eldest. His eldest had grown into a fine, responsible man. Now, with Tom's death so close at hand, it comforted him to know that his eldest would be there to watch over the family. Then, due to a comment Jarrod had made in the grove moments before Tom had been shot, Tom squeezed Jarrod's hand the best he could and said, "I was never disappointed in you." When Jarrod started to object, Tom stopped him. "Yes, I thought my eldest would be the one running the ranch with me, only I was wrong. That's all there is to it. It's not a bad thing, and I'm extremely pleased with the fact that you've become one of the best attorneys in California. I also know you'll do your best by this family. "

How could this be happening? His father had only wanted justice for the farmers; for all of them. Why couldn't men like Crown and Jordon go fight for power on some deserted island and leave everyone else alone? Jarrod sighed as he had the last thought go through his head. He knew it was a child's dream brought to the front of his mind by the shooting of his father; for he just knew the railroad was behind it. In that moment, Jarrod promised himself he'd pick up the fight to see justice was done. He didn't know if he'd succeed or not, only he'd fight Crown, Jordon and men like him with everything he had. When it came to the family, of course he would stand by them and do all he could for them. Without family, there was nothing. "You know I will." Jarrod answered even as his voice wanted to crack.

"Be patient with Nick, please." Tom inwardly sighed as he thought of the young man who would now feel the full responsibility of the ranch. He was positively sure that, with his middle son's temperament, patience was something that the family would indeed have to practice even more than they had in the past. "He has a heart of gold as you know, it's…just that blasted temper of his."

Jarrod couldn't help but give his father a small grin and soft chuckle. Nick's temper was famous around the ranch and in town. His father didn't have to remind Jarrod of it. "Don't worry about that father. I know how to handle Nick."

Tom winced a little, making it so Victoria flew to his side and Jarrod arose part way. Tom gave them an apologetic smile and then asked Jarrod to go and get Nick. "I need to talk to him too."

Jarrod hesitated a second, knowing that once he left the room he would never see his father alive again. Then, as much as it hurt him, Jarrod slowly turned around and left the room while Victoria stayed by her husband's side.


	2. Chapter 2

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Nick stood outside his father's room and swallowed hard, as he wiped away his tears. While he didn't want to go in; didn't want to admit his father, the man who had taught him all he needed to know when it came to ranching and other things pertaining to life, his right arm as it was, had been hurt beyond the point of being able to be helped. He squared his shoulders, opened the bedroom door and stepped inside. He had to literally force himself to cross the floor as he watched his mother, who had been sitting by her husband's side, move away from the bed. Once Nick was standing next to his father the Barkley patriarch motioned for Nick to sit down which he did.

Tom could see the inner turmoil that existed in Nick's eyes. He pretty well knew what the young twenty-two year old man was thinking and understood his frustration when it came to the fact that an unknown assailant was succeeding in taking Tom's life. Even if he couldn't, Tom had caught bits and pieces of Nick and Jarrod's conversation on the way home…enough to know just what Nick wanted to do. Tom hoped he would be able to pound a bit of sense into his hot tempered son before he passed away.

For a moment neither spoke, as if afraid the words they'd speak would be the wrong ones. Finally Tom, remembering his son's apology spoken minutes after the shooting, and repeated more than once on the way home, broke the silence when he told Nick not to blame himself for what had happened. "It's not your fault, son. There was nothing you could have done differently." Tom knew how protective Nick was of the family and desperately wanted the young man to know he hadn't failed in that area.

"But, I should have seen him!" Nick's voice broke as he snapped, but not so loudly as to cause anyone to jump and another tear escape his eye in spite of fighting to holding it back.

"No, son," Tom shook his head slowly. "We were all looking around; we knew more trouble was brewing. Besides, I dare say the shooter was, most likely, as far away as he could possibly be and still make the shot. There was nothing to be seen." Tom winced yet again and then started talking about the ranch. He knew Nick was a hard worker and would not ask the men to do anything that Nick, himself, would not do. However, he had a tendency to push himself too hard and that temper… "Don't be so proud that you won't turn to your brother or to McColl for help, son. Jarrod has enough experience on this ranch to be of help in spite of his law practice, and McColl has been with me for years as you know. He knows this ranch as well as I do. He'll be a great help to you if needed. Having that aid will help you from getting overly stressed and you'll be able to find another outlet for any extra steam that builds up. Please, I beg you, leave the shooter to the law. This family needs you too much for you to take on that one." Tom could feel his time starting to run out, and he still wanted to talk to Victoria, alone. "Nick," he paused for a quick second and then said, "Continue to work hard, only not so hard that you run yourself into the ground and destroy yourself in the process, and never doubt that I'm extremely pleased with the man you've become. You're just as good as your elder brother. Please, help him watch out for your mother and siblings."

Nick tried to speak only for the first time he failed as he didn't know exactly what to say. Of course, he'd turn to Jarrod and McColl for help. He'd need them and he wasn't so proud as to not admit it. However, the shooter… that was another story. The fact that Nick gave him no answer didn't matter though as Tom gave him a weak smile. "Goodbye son." Tom let go of Nick's hand and looked towards Victoria who stepped forward and, after asking Nick to leave her alone with Tom, sat down on the side of the bed. Like Jarrod, Nick didn't want to go. Leaving meant never seeing his father alive again. Still, for the sake of his mother, Nick forced himself to leave the room. Once Nick, whose tears had finally escaped and were streaming down his face, was out of the room Tom looked at his wife and sighed.

Tom tried to lift his hand only found himself too weak. Victoria quickly picked her husband's hand up as tears again began forming in her eyes. It pained Tom to see the tears only there was nothing he could do either. "I got better than I deserved the day you said yes to my proposal of marriage." He closed his eyes as he winced yet again. "You've stuck by me through tick and thin. Not many women would have stayed with me after….after I what I did, even if I did have amnesia and no past memories at the time."

Victoria's tears started slowly falling as she silently cursed men like Jordon and Crown who allowed their greed to do such things as murder someone. Oh sure, they might not have pulled the actual trigger only they were the force behind the action. "You're human, Tom. Any mistakes you've made are in the past and have been long since forgiven. I'm not holding anything against you."

Tom opened his eyes. Victoria could tell something else was on his mind and that he was afraid to say anything. It made her heart skip a beat. "What is it, Tom? What's wrong?"

Tom didn't answer as his mind traveled through time, back to a time when he had unintentionally hurt her. He didn't want to hurt her again. When he didn't say anything, Victoria repeated his name and said, "Tell me what's wrong Tom."

"I kept my promise, Victoria. I never looked back." Tom's voice began to trail off as he fought to remain conscious. "Only what if a ch…." His voice faded away and Victoria felt her husband's hand go limp.

Victoria laid her head upon her husband's chest and cried, not only for the loss of her husband but for the truth of what he had tried to say. What if there had been a child? Her heart sunk, as she realized what the promise she'd extracted from her husband could have cost an innocent child. "If one ever shows up, Tom," she whispered only to herself, "and looks like you in the least, I'll take him in and treat him the same as the other children you gave me."

.

 **A/N Since Victoria took to Heath so rapidly, I thought it made sense to have at least a small thought of the possibility that Tom had a child out there somewhere already planted in her mind.**


	3. Chapter 3

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" _I don't know, mother." Audra sat on the couch sobbing, along with Eugene who sat next to her. "He just flew down the stairs and disappeared into the Billiard room."_

 _"When he came out of the Billiard room," Eugene took over as he pointed towards the front door. "He was carrying his rifle and he ran out of the house."_

 _"Is this true, Jarrod?" She couldn't imagine Jarrod just standing aside and letting Nick do such a thing._

 _Jarrod, who had actually stepped into the kitchen before Nick appeared and had only reentered the living room moments before, was just as shocked at his sister and brother. He explained where he'd been and that he had no idea. "I only rejoined the children a moment ago."_

 _Pure, unadulterated, fear appeared in Victoria's eyes. She had just lost her husband; she couldn't lose her son. "Oh Jarrod, please…" She turned her face towards her eldest, though she couldn't finish her sentence. It didn't matter though. Victoria didn't have to say another word for Jarrod, who was still wearing his gun on his side, to know what she wanted him to do. He quickly assured her he'd do all he could to find his hot tempered brother._

The scene in the house replayed itself over in Jarrod's mind as he threw his saddle on Jingo. He cursed as he did so. Sure, he understood Nick's anger, understood the need to bring their father's killer to justice. However, to go off half cocked wasn't going to help the matter any…especially since losing one's temper always clouded the issue. "McColl," Jarrod said after leading his horse out of the stall and seeing their foreman standing not twenty feet away. "Did you happen to see which way Nick went?"

Duke McColl, who had just learned that Tom had died, wasn't surprised to hear that Nick had run off. "No, but I'll bet you ten to one he's gone back to the grove."

Jarrod had to admit McColl's guess was a good one. After all, Nick would want to start tracking their father's killer. "Please, keep an eye on mother." Jarrod said as he swung up into the saddle. It was a promise their foreman freely gave before watching the eldest Barkley push his horse towards the nearby gate.

 **~oOo~**

The wind was whipping through the leaves of the trees as Nick, who had indeed gone to the grove, knelt in the spot where his father had fallen. He could still see his father's blood that had spilled from his wound to the ground. Rage toward the man who had joined forces with the railroad to bring his father down flowed through Nick's entire being. _"Please, I beg you; leave the man to the law'._ His father's words rang more than once as the scene of his father falling off his horse appeared in Nick's mind.

Nick cursed and pounded his fist into the ground as he ran one memory after another over in his mind, and more tears fell. Before Nick was half aware of it he was standing up and throwing out a sting of cuss words louder than he'd ever done before. A father's plea fading away-drowned out by a son's anger. Nick bellowed that he would hunt down the man that killed his father and make him pay.

 **~oOo~**

Jarrod, who had ridden hard towards the grove, pulled up on Jingo's reins when he caught sight of Nick. His younger brother stood a good two hundred feet away, and Jarrod heard each and every one of the hot tempered rancher's angry words. For the hundredth time Jarrod silently cursed his father's assassin and the pain he'd brought to the family. However, he pushed that aside for he knew he had he had to get through to Nick and stop him from doing the worst thing possible.

Jarrod dismounted Jingo and tied him to a nearby tree. Then, not wishing to become an unintended target for his brother's wrath, he stood behind the tree. "NICK! IT'S JARROD! I WANT TO TALK TO YOU!" Jarrod called out, praying like mad his brother would listen and not run off.

Nick whirled around, having his rifle ready to shoot before his brother's voice-and what he'd said-registered. Nick muttered and then lowered his rifle, but only a little. "ARE YOU CRAZY? I COULD HAVE SHOT YOU!"

The moment Nick acknowledged him, Jarrod made his way to his brother. "No crazier than you." Jarrod said and then began trying to reason with his brother, telling him to let the law take care of whoever shot their father.

"Our father is murdered and you want to stand aside and do nothing?" Nick bellowed; his grief and anguish could be heard in his voice.

"I didn't say that." Jarrod rested his hands on his hips. "We can put a reward out for any information leading to the man's arrest. I can talk to the Pinkerton Agency. I…"

Nick exploded. "That will take time! I can track that man down and save us a lot of trouble!"

"And kill him?" Jarrod growled back. "What good will that do? Sure, he'll be dead and then you'll be hung for murder! What will that do to or mother? To Audra and Eugene?"

Nick was in no mood to listen. He turned and started to head for his horse. "I'm finding him, Jarrod. I'll do what I can to bring him in alive, only I'm not promising anything."

Jarrod started to object and then grinned silently to himself. "All right," he spoke up, stopping Nick dead in his tracks. "But I'm coming with you. After all, with two of us hunting him, our chances of finding him will improve."

Nick whirled around and stared at his brother. "You can't go. Mother will need your help with the children."

"Who cares?" Jarrod folded his arms and shot a glare back at his brother. "This is about avenging father's death, right?" Jarrod's frustration and anger came out in the hard tone he was using, "I'll go with you. We'll hunt him down and make sure one way or the other he pays. At least that way, you won't hang alone. Mother is a strong woman. She has the ranch and the other children. She can take losing us as well."

Nick couldn't believe his ears. Jarrod never talked this way. He was the rational, level headed one. Now, with Jarrod spouting the unthinkable, Nick felt as if his brother might as well have punched him in the gut. In that moment, Nick's desire for vengeance seemed to evaporate just a little. His fists unclenched as his rifle fell to the grounds.

Seconds later, he was kneeling on the ground once more, shaking and sobbing as he'd never done before. Jarrod was by his side in a flash and holding onto him, a few of his own tears escaping as he did so. "Let it out, Nick, let it _all_ out.

And then," Jarrod sighed feeling the weight of the world upon his shoulders, "let's go home. This family has got to pull together or fall apart. We can't do that. We can't let the railroad win." It was a statement Nick did not argue with.

~ Epilogue ~

Victoria sat next to Jarrod in the surrey that Jarrod had driven while Audra and Eugene sat in the back. However, Nick, who had watched as one by one all the people who had come for his father's funeral leave, remained in front of the newly dug grave looking down at the headstone and his father's name. The intense anger and desire for revenge that had driven him away from the house was now gone, though an extremely strong desire for justice for their father was still very much present. He and Jarrod had done-and were doing- all they could to get the word out about the reward that was waiting for whoever helped bring their father's murderer to justice.

"I guess you know what I almost did; what Jarrod was able to stop me from doing." Nick spoke in quiet voice for a change. He shook his head. "When you talked to me, I should have thanked you for all the memories, the hard work, the laughs and, well, everything." Nick bit his lower lip and then sucked in his breath. "Though, like it or not, I guess this is our…" he said as he voice choked just a little, "last farewell." He fell silent and then, after a few minutes, turned and walked over to his horse and mounted up.

Nick had other things to say to his father, but they would have to wait for another time…when it was just him and his father's grave. Moments later, he and the rest of the Barkleys were heading home, promising to stick together no matter whatever else the railroad might throw at them.


End file.
